U.S. Air Force Maj. Andrew C. Becker (’07, DB), who commissioned out of Embry-Riddle’s Air Force ROTC Det. 157, died March 14, 2017, in the crash of a reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft during a training flight in New Mexico. The 33-year-old married pilot from Novi, Mich., was one of three service members killed when the single-engine U-28A crashed near the Clovis Municipal Airport. Copilot 1st Lt. Frederick Dellecker, 26, and Capt. Kenneth Dalga, 29, were also killed. All three were assigned to the 318th Special Operations Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base.
Inspired to join the military following the 9/11 attacks on American soil, Becker enrolled at Embry-Riddle and joined Det. 157. Following his commissioning and graduation, he progressed through flight training to become a pilot and member of the Air Force Special Operations Command. During his seven years of active duty, Becker served nine deployments into various combat areas, including 459 combat sorties and 2,260 combat flight hours, earning 22 medals and a number of awards, promotions and honors.
Becker’s parents, Gary and Stacey Becker, have established an endowed scholarship in their son’s name that will reward future Det. 157 cadets who exhibit the dedication, leadership and service for which their son was known.
“This scholarship will ensure that Maj. Becker’s legacy lives on within Det. 157, and it will serve as an inspiration to everyone who has chosen to wear the uniform of the U.S. Air Force,” says Bill Thompson (’87, PC), executive director of alumni relations at Embry-Riddle. To contribute, use our online giving form.